Apples iPhone 3G S Dissected: Whats the Real Cost?
Apple’s iPhone 3G S is the talk of the tech world this week. While some folks were disappointed a cheaper iPhone didn’t debut at this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference, the 16GB iPhone 3G S may be a better deal than you’d think: The phone, according to a new analysis, costs Apple nearly $179 to make. It retails for $199 (when bought with a new AT&T contract). iPhone 3G S Cost Breakdown The iPhone 3G S cost breakdown comes courtesy of iSuppli, an electronics research firm based in California. The iSuppli team tore apart the iPhone 3G S (or iPhone 3GS, depending on whom you ask). It then estimated the value of each of its components, taking into account both the costs of the raw materials and the associated manufacturing expenses. Interestingly, the iPhone 3G S, according to iSuppli, costs only about $5 more to make than its predecessor, the iPhone 3G (8GB version). The official total for the 3G S was $178.96; for the 3G, it was $174.33. Those totals don’t include expenses such as s
